Improvement in ditching-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN S. VOOD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DlTCHlNG-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that I, STEPHEN S. Woon, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedDitching-lvlachine, and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ditchin g-machines; and itconsists in the construction, combinations, and arrangements hereinafterdescribed, of the several operative parts, whereby the earth scooped upby an oblique scraper or plow is discharged onto an inclined elevatingapparatus, from the top of which, after being elevated, it istransferred to a lateral conductor to be discharged upon the bank at oneside of the ditch.

Figure 1 is partly a side elevation and partly a sectional elevation ofmy improved ditchingn1 aehine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3is a rear end view. Fig. 4 is a partial elevation of thepropelling-wheel, and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 4 taken onthe line w x.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is a scoop-shaped plow mounted at the front end of a frame, B C, to bedrawn along the ground, the rear end of said frame being mounted on apower-wheel, D, for supporting it, and transmitting motion to theoperative parts. From this scoop, which ascends toward the rear, theearth gathered by it is to be delivered upon an endless elevator; but,as it is liable to clog', I employ a rotary feeding-wheel or brush foracting upon the earth raised by the scoop to work in conjunction withthe scoop, which, moving forward un der the earth which is preventedfrom moving with it by the resistance of the solid earth in advance ofthat in the scoop, causes the earth to slide up the scoop toward theconductor to some extent. This feeding-wheel consists of a drum orshaft, D2, and twisted or plane i'lat blades E, mounted on it radiallyso that the outer ends stand spirally to the axis of the drum and actobliquely 011 the earth, and they are arranged so that the spiral pitchof the blades has a tendency to throw the earth toward the center fromeach end for keeping it away from the sides of the scoop and conductoras much as possible. Another object of the spiral arrangement of theblades is to allow them to enter the earth edgewise by a cutting actionand carry it toward the conveyer at the same time that they convey ittoward the center, also to clear them from the earth at the rear,whereasA if they were arranged parallel with the axis they could notenter the earth except at great expense of power, and they would notclear. These blades may be arranged on the drum in rows parallel withthe axis or transversely thereto. But I, preferably, set themtransversely for two reasons first, they are not so liable to clog andthey admit of the passage of a set broom or scraper for clearing them;and second, they possess a greater measure of strength in the directionthey move for a given weight. As a further means of relieving theseblades from obstructions I mount the drum in aframe, F, pivoted at G, sothat the end supporting the wheel may rise and fall, working at the sametime between the vertical guides H, which prevent it from workinglaterally, and the weight of the wheel and frame is partially suspendedby an elastic cord, I, or it maybe a spring of any kind from the top ofthe frame H, to assist the wheel in its tendency to rise when it strikesan obstruction, also to allow it to rise, and fall slightly, as theheight of the earth being scraped up varies., A chain, K, and stud-pin Lare employed, in connection with the ame H, to hold the wheel above theearth when the latter is of such a character that the wheel is notneeded to convey it to the belt M. The elevator or conductor consists ofan endless belt, M, at the bottom of a trough whose sides are alsoformed by endless belts N, arranged perpendicular to belt M, and movingon the side next to it in the same direction. The belt M is employedwithout any lugs, projections, blades, or buckets such as are ordinarilyused with endless conveyers for admitting of the discharge of the earthcarried-up by a scraper, under which the belt passes; and, to insure thecarrying of the earth on the belt, it is arranged on a gradesufficiently low for the purpose, and provided with the side belts N,which relieve the earth of the friction that would be caused by fixedsides commonly used, and assist in carrying it. The said belts may bemade of metal or other approved substance. The belt M works over aroller, O, at the lower end, and the driving-drum I, shown dotted inFig. 1, at the upper end, and at Q, it passes over a small guiderollerin its upward movement, from which roller it moves in a level plane tothe drum P and nnder the disch argin g-scrap er, consisting ofthe fixedbar or plate E crossing` the belt obliquely, and the endless belt Srunning behind the bar and conveying the earth over the apron WV ontothe lateral carrier T, which is also an endless belt, and stretched fromthe drum U, arranged under outer end of apron W, to the roller V,mounted in the outer ends of the arms X, which are pivoted to the axleof drum U, so that the outer end of the belt T may be raised or loweredfor allowing it to descend from the drum while the ditch is shallow, andit can be carried sufficiently high above the earth-bank to do so, forutilizing the gravity of the earth to assist in the workin g ofthecarrier, and as the ditch deepens to allow of raising the carrier totravel clear above the bank. Either the fixed scraper R or the belt Smay be used separatelyfor discharging with good results; but I prefer toemploy them both. The arms X form the sides ofthe carrying-trough, andthey a-re suspended from the post Z by a chain, A', in a manner to beheld higher or lower, as may be required.

All these endless belts and the feeding-wheel are driven by thepower-wheel D, which, to prevent slipping, is provided with two rows ofpoints, B', one at each end of a plane drum, G', to enter the ground andinsure rotation. The said points are arranged tangential to a circleabout half the diameter ofthe drum, so as to be inclined in thedirection the :machine moves for entering the ground and withdrawingagain with less friction than they would if pointing radially from thedrum.

The rows of points are used in preference to blades or plates extendingacross the tire, because they obtain all the power of resistance theearth is capable of giving within the distance from row to row of pointsand the depth they enter, without oering as much resistance to theentering as the blades would 5 but a more especial advantage is that thespace between the rows of points admits of the use of a scraper, D', forscraping off the earth packing in between them, the removal of whicheither forces out what may be between the points of a row or loosens itso that it will give way when the points enter the ground again, whereasif continuous blades are used they can not be cleaned. I may use threeor more of these rows of points with a scraper between each, ac cordingto the power l wish the wheel to transmit.

The feed-wheel vD2 is worked by a chain, E', and another, F', the firstworking on a pulley, G', at the axis G ofthe frame F, and the other frompulley G' to a pulley on the said feed-wheel shaft. The endless belt .Mis worked by a shaft, H', geared with the power-wheel and a chain, l',and a pulley, K', works the drum L' of the belt S by a belt, M'. Anotherpulley, N', drives the shaft O' bya belt, P', and this shaft O' drivesthe belt N'1 one by a belt, Q', and the other by a belt, R'. The belt Tis driven by the belt S through the medium of the shaft S' and belt T'.Behind the power-wheel the frame will be provided with suitable handlesfor guiding the machine, and suitable hitchin g apparatus will beapplied at the front.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The rotary feeding-wheel, consisting of a drum orshaft and the spiral blades, constructed and arranged substantially asspecified.

2. The said feeding'wheel, mounted in the verticallyoscillatin g frameF, and the latter arranged between the guides H, all substantially asspeciiied.

3. A carrier, M, and lateral carrier T, combined with the plate R,endless belt S, and apronv W, when arranged intermediately, as andforthe purpose specified.

4. The power-wheel, consisting of a drum and two or more rows of pointswith a plane surface between the said rows of points, substantially asspecied.

5. The combination, with the power-wheel, coustructed as described,ofthe scraper D', substanstantially as specified.

STEPHEN S. WOOD.

Witnesses:

T. B. MosI-IER, GEO. W. MABEE.

